Where Bad Breath Comes From
Most, but not all, bad breath comes from bacterial plaque and food accumulated mainly towards the back of the tongue.
The problem is, there are all sorts of not-likely-but-possible other reasons for halitosis: upset stomach, anxiety, inflamed gums, saliva deficiency, infections and removable dentures are among them.
What Not To Do
Because nobody—but nobody!— wants bad breath, a billion-dollar industry has sprung up hawking a variety of mouthwashes, rinses, drops, pastes and mints to mask halitosis. But there’s a huge difference between hiding the symptoms and treating the cause of Dragon Breath. Take mouthwash. It tastes and feels like it’s solving the problem.
But most mouthwashes are alcohol-based. Alcohol dries out the mouth, which can re-ignite the halitosis—often, worse than ever. If you’re concerned enough about your breath that you’re buying these products, then you should be consulting a dentist, instead.
Bad Breath?
If you sometimes worry about your breath, you’re not alone. In fact, all of us fall in one of three categories:
- Those who know they have halitosis,
- Those who don’t know they have it, and
- Those who don’t have it and want to prevent it.
Fortunately, our dental team is in a position to help all three groups.
